Czochralski growth and Faraday rotation properties of Tb9.33(SiO4)6O2 crystals

Publication date: 15 May 2015
Source:Journal of Crystal Growth, Volume 418
Author(s): Xin Chen , Zhongliang Gong , Hao Fu , Naifeng Zhuang , Wenhui Zhang , Xitong Xie , Feiyun Guo , Jianzhong Chen
Tb9.33(SiO4)6O2 crystals have been grown by the Czochralski technique for the first time for magneto-optical applications. Rietveld structure refinement of XRD data confirms that the compound crystallizes in the hexagonal system $P{6}_3/m$, with oxyapatite structure. Transmittance spectra and the Faraday rotation have been investigated, which demonstrate that Tb9.33(SiO4)6O2 crystals show a higher visible transparency and a larger Faraday rotation than Tb3Ga5O12 crystals. Tb9.33(SiO4)6O2 is therefore a promising material in particular for new magneto-optical applications in the visible-near IR wavelength region.